Andoni Iraola believes “small details” cost his Bournemouth team after their unbeaten run was ended by Liverpool. Goals in either half from Mohamed Salah earned the Reds a 2-0 Premier League triumph at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday afternoon to open up a nine-point lead at the top of the table.

Bournemouth hit the woodwork through Antoine Semenyo and substitute Marcus Tavernier and had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside call against David Brooks.

And Iraola pointed the finger at his team’s failure to capitalise on their opportunities as the chief reason for their defeat.

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“We gave ourselves a chance, we played a high level game, both teams,” said the Bournemouth boss. “The quality of the game has been quite high but against these top teams you need small details not to go against your side.

“We hit the post and the second ball doesn’t go in, we had a goal disallowed. We needed to punish them as we knew we would concede some chances as both teams play quite open.

“We should have scored to put them under some pressure. We have to look at why we didn’t get a result, and it was in our offence. We had enough chances to score. Once you get the goal, whether it’s 1-0 or 1-1, Liverpool feel some pressure which, after going 2-0 up, they didn’t.”

Salah’s opener came from the penalty spot after Bournemouth skipper Lewis Cook was adjudged by referee Darren England to have clipped Cody Gakpo, a decision upheld by VAR.

The home fans were deeply unhappy and Iraola stormed down the tunnel at half-time. And when asked about the incident later, he said: “If you take this penalty it can go both ways. I would say the one (we didn’t get) against Brentford (earlier this season) was more of a penalty.

“I’d say if you called that one and this one, then okay. If you don’t call that one and don’t call this one, they okay. But if you call one and not the other then I have to complain.

“But in this kind of level of game, the players are the ones that decide, the quality from Bournemouth and Liverpool. Not the referee.”

Iraola praised the performance of left-back Milos Kerkez despite Salah twice finding the target.

“Liverpool have good players and it’s difficult to cover everything,” he said. “Milos dealt very well with him all game but the second goal is the kind of finish he loves. You have to give credit to Salah as well, it was a good finish.”

Bournemouth had not lost for 12 games – all bar one coming in the Premier League – and despite the defeat still remain in contention for Champions League qualification.

And Iraola added: “We are still in a good position for us and we will try to keep close. We are performing well and being competitive in almost every game. If we can keep this level of performance we can finish in a good place.

“We got chances against Liverpool and it’s very difficult to win against them. Now we have to look to the FA Cup against Everton.”